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. 2021 Sep 15;73(6):e1337-e1344.
doi: 10.1093/cid/ciab308.

Sera Neutralizing Activities Against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 and Multiple Variants 6 Months After Hospitalization for Coronavirus Disease 2019

Maureen Betton  1   2 , Marine Livrozet  1   2 , Delphine Planas  3   4 , Antoine Fayol  1   2 , Blandine Monel  3 , Benoit Védie  5 , Timothée Bruel  3 , Eric Tartour  6 , Nicolas Robillard  7 , Jean-Claude Manuguerra  8 , Anne Blanchard  2 , Jade Ghosn  9   10 , Benoit Visseaux  10   11 , Hélène Péré  12 , David Lebeaux  7 , Olivier Schwartz  3   4 , David Veyer  7   11 , Jean-Sébastien Hulot  1   2 ; French COVID Cohort Study Group
Collaborators, Affiliations

Sera Neutralizing Activities Against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 and Multiple Variants 6 Months After Hospitalization for Coronavirus Disease 2019

Maureen Betton et al. Clin Infect Dis. .

Abstract

Background: Humoral response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) occurs within the first weeks after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Those antibodies exert a neutralizing activity against SARS-CoV-2, whose evolution over time after COVID-19 as well as efficiency against novel variants are poorly characterized.

Methods: In this prospective study, sera of 107 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 were collected at 3 and 6 months postinfection. We performed quantitative neutralization experiments on top of high-throughput serological assays evaluating anti-spike (S) and anti-nucleocapsid (NP) immunoglobulin G (IgG).

Results: Levels of seroneutralization and IgG rates against the ancestral strain decreased significantly over time. After 6 months, 2.8% of the patients had a negative serological status for both anti-S and anti-NP IgG. However, all sera had a persistent and effective neutralizing effect against SARS-CoV-2. IgG levels correlated with seroneutralization, and this correlation was stronger for anti-S than for anti-NP antibodies. The level of seroneutralization quantified at 6 months correlated with markers of initial severity, notably admission to intensive care units and the need for mechanical invasive ventilation. In addition, sera collected at 6 months were tested against multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants and showed efficient neutralizing effects against the D614G, B.1.1.7, and P.1 variants but significantly weaker activity against the B.1.351 variant.

Conclusions: Decrease in IgG rates and serological assays becoming negative did not imply loss of neutralizing capacity. Our results indicate a sustained humoral response against the ancestral strain and the D614G, B.1.1.7, and P.1 variants for at least 6 months in patients previously hospitalized for COVID-19. A weaker protection was, however, observed for the B.1.351 variant.

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